Author
Topic: Bah Humbug? (Read 3931 times)

Christmas is just around the corner. I have seen several topic on several message boards extolling the bah humbug, christmas is crap, theory, and those people shooting down people who have the nerve to say they actually like christmas.

So, if we take out the comercial aspect, and take out the relgious aspect of Christmas, what is it we all enjoy about the festive season?

For me, its having the family home, its having the Christmas card and news from people I dont keep in touch with throughout the year, but am still interested in and think about now and then throughout the year, I love the chirstmas music be it hymns or crappy songs, I love the tree going up and the knick knacks that the children have made over the years come christmas time at school, being unwrapped, and hung about the place and I love the moaning that there is nothing on the television worth watching - we never watch it anyway.

I love the thought that in millions of zillions of homes throughout the world its a special day for family and for thinking about other people, and that for millions and zillions of people its a time to look forward and still be able to make a change.

I love the fact, that so many people who are on their own at christmas, or even have families, give up their time, and enjoy giving their time for the homeless and other charities, such as having an old person or a lonely person to share christmas with them. and that some spend their Festive Season, talking to people on the edge of despair,

That for at least one day of the year, families unite, other people are thought of, and there is hope.

I know also that for many, its a desperate time of year, for many hundreds of reasons, so I am not disregarding that.

But I love Christmas, I love the traditions of it, that are so varied home by home, family by family, I love going to midnight mass, coming home for a glass of wine, going to bed, knowing the children will be awake before I have even nodded up, I love cooking the lunch, the crackers and their rubbish jokes and silly hats, the party poppers, the queens speech, the being to full of everything to move.

The problem is that you can't take out the commercial and religious aspect of it - they are an inherent part of it.We all know that Christianity nicked 'Christmas' from the earlier pagan ceremonies (Saturnalia, the feast of Isis, Yule (Mithras) etc). The problem is now that one is frequently, almost constantly, subjected to religious bunnies telling one that the 'true meaning of Christmas' has been lost amid the commercialism. It would be funny were it not so damned annoying.

I agree that there is a lot to be said for family get-together times and, even, a period of reflection, contemplation and celebration - nothing wrong with that at all, it is a very desirable thing, in my opinion. Christmas doesn't really fit the bill for me, however. Sure, Christians can celebrate it in their own manner - and I have no wish to intrude on their personal delusions. I prefer to enjoy times with my family and friends when there is less commercial pressure, less pressure to conform to some idealised version of 'togetherness' and, to be frank, less cant and hypocrisy.Now my views are, no doubt, strongly influenced by both my atheism and the fact that I have no children. I certainly enjoy visiting my nieces and nephews and watching their obvious enjoyment of the whole thing (I find their honesty refreshing and amusing - 'where is my present Uncle Chris'?).

I'm not a Christian so I don't celebrate Christmas. There is nothing about it that I look forward to. I can have a roast dinner any day I choose, I hardly drink these days due to medical reasons, I have no children (also by choice) and I can see my friends whenever I want.

If anything, I don't like Christmas as it's just an inconvenience to me in terms of crowded shops, incessant carols everywhere I go & difficulty parking in town. I would like to hibernate through the whole sordid "festive" season and wake on Jan 3rd.

We don't celebrate Christmas at all !! in that , in our family there is no religious context whatsoever, so, in our case, we have successfully taken the religious aspect out of Christmas all together. This is not intent, it is just the way it is in our home. It's an excuse for togetherness and family fun, friendship and sharing of smiles and hugs.

I love Christmas, in our family we love Christmas, for the exact same reasons as Kenwood has cited above (with the exception of midnight mass)

I love the friendly ambiance, the happy vibe that saturates the atmosphere, just relax, chill out and take it all in !.....We are also aware that this time of year (like other times of the year) is also a time of specific desperation for so many.... and all of those people are in our thoughts.

Christmas, for me is specifically about the kids, it's their smiles and joy that make for me a Happy Christmas......but it's also just the plain fun, the decorations, the twinkling lights, the festive atmosphere the receiving and giving of gifts.

Yes, shopping can be a chore, so, we choose the quieter times but it's also fun to get caught for a short while in the Christmas mayhem.....For those who don't like it...that's what the internet is for eh ?

I like the run up to Christmas. I like going to friends pre-christmas parties, christmas dinners organised by club and work, the kids concerts and singing with my Am. Dram. group in our annual village party. What I hate is the forced enjoyment of having to entertain the in-laws, who I have never got along with, on Christmas day. It is the only day of the year when I feel I can't do as I please. Duty is tough.

The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks.
Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors
and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators,
sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.